


Loyalty

by j4nusfaced



Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 3
Genre: Anal Fingering, Character Death, Ghoul Sex, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-19
Updated: 2019-03-19
Packaged: 2019-11-24 13:32:37
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18165848
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/j4nusfaced/pseuds/j4nusfaced
Summary: Argyle was always loyal to his boss, as was Herbert, in a way, to his manservant.Originally posted as a response to a prompt on the Fallout Meme in 2013.





	Loyalty

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted to the Fallout Kink Meme in 2013. Original tags as follows: 
> 
> Characters: Herbert Dashwood, Argyle, Roy Phillips, Misc.  
> Relationship: Slash; Dashwood/Argyle  
> Summary: Argyle was always loyal to his boss, as was Herbert, in a way, to his manservant.  
> Warnings: Character death

The sound of shrieks filled the hallways of Tenpenny Tower, terror reverberating off the crumbling walls as the blue blooded (or as close to as one can be in the wastes) occupants were slaughtered, the building living through yet another tragedy. Distant gunfire and enraged battle cries floated into the room passed the closed door as some of the residents attempted to fight back, though their noises fought with the snarls of feral ghouls joyously leaping to their prey and the gutteral growls of ghouls spitting their own battle cries. The entire tower was wrapped in chaos, bloodshed and death... All except for one tiny room, with one old man in it, listening to music and quietly drinking.

 

Though he was an adventurer of well renown and owned the best weaponry in the tower outside of the guards, Herbert Daring Dashwood did not stand to defend his fellow man. Yes, he knew that this attack was not a very well planned out one, and that even in his old age, he can tango with the strongest of Roy's boys and girls, but at the same time... He was tired. Very tired for so many reasons. He had no desire to fight alongside the people of Tenpenny, not even in defense of the woman he and quite a few other men had been dallying with of late, more of a formality than anything if he were honest, or the man who graciously let him live in this exclusive community safe from all the troubles of the wastes. Instead, he simply sat in his chair, leaning back in his torn seat and listening quietly to the music playing from the battered radio in the corner of his room while his mind was wrapped up in the feeling of Old World Blues, of remembering the bright, shining past with all its excitement and glory. His past, with someone very dear that he lost a long time ago. The faint smell of smoke drifted in, though it mixed with the lit cigarette set beside his chair.

 

> _ Flames licked at the concrete divider that he had been using as cover as bullets rained above, promising death should the adventurer choose to peek his head out. His eyes shifted to his companion, hiding behind his own divider and returning the glance. The ghoul shot him a toothless grin, a silent communication as the super mutants roared in rage, attempting to whittle away the barrier between them and their prey. Argyle disappeared from his cover, and Herbert took it as a sign to distract the berzerker. He took out his shotgun and raised it above his head, blindly firing at the one with the flamethrower. The cry of pain laced the rage, and the attacker didn't notice at all the irradiated man who came from behind, safely outside the hail of fire and bullets. The flames stopped as blood splattered onto the manmade stone, allowing the pinned down human to pop out from cover with marginally more safety, but Argyle was not finished. He shoved the heavy corpse ahead as a shield to take the minigun fire, garnering more attention from the shooter. This allowed Herbert to swap his shotgun with a sniper rifle and level the ugly green head in his sights. It exploded with a squeeze of his finger, and both servant and master laughed in celebration. _
> 
>  
> 
> _ Herbert stood up from his cover, some clever quip on his lips as he looked to Argyle with a cheeky smirk. The ghoul scowled and dropped the mutant, crossing the distance between him and his employer. The human's words wavered, as if he feared he had crossed the line, but before he could apologize, his words were silenced by a scarred mouth covering his own. He had frozen, allowing the ghoul to taste his mouth until a grenade forced them both to focus on the task at hand. _
> 
>  

A distant explosion peaked over the rest of the noise coming from the halls. The old man ignored it as he did the rest of the chaos, a wrinkled hand reaching for a flask of whiskey from the table beside him, the contents rippling from the far off shockwave. The shouts grew louder, perhaps as a sign that the insanity was ascending the fortress. The cap of the bottle was removed, and his lips wrapped around the opening to welcome the bitter, amber liquid.

 

> _ The scent of stale booze and sweat was heavy in the dimly lit bar, and Daring Dashwood's laughter boomed as loudly as anyone else around him. His arm was around some flighty broad, whose molerat-like chittering was only tolerable in the haze of whiskey. He knocked back another flask of some foul-tasting alcohol before flashing the blond a charming grin. The broad swooned and her friends caught her before she hit the ground and made more of a fool of herself. He caught the stern, milky-eyed gaze of a ghoul from across the bar, and his grin turned sheepish. Herbert supposed that Argyle's critical gaze was well warranted today, given that they had met thanks to the human's love of loose women (and the ghoul's thought that a loose woman could love a ghoul) and the recent development in their... partnership. _
> 
>  
> 
> _ He couldn't help the sudden flush to his cheeks at that memory and the sudden taste in his mouth, but thankfully his drinking buddy and, hopefully, soon-to-be employer seemed to chalk it to the booze rather than the ghoul whose gaze the adventurer caught. Argyle, on the other hand, saw it for what it was. The manservant wore a smirk on his lips as his boss attempted to focus on the words that came from the fat man's mouth. A few drinks and twenty minutes later, he would be reminding 'Dashing' just how the term could also apply to one so grotesque.  _
> 
>  

The door to his room burst open, and Herbert only lowered the whiskey as Roy Phillips stalked into the room, his harsh gaze scanning the room. Of course, the roughskinned being didn't immediately look at the corner where he was sitting calmly. It was only when the glass bottle softly clicked against the wood did Phillips look his way, his weapon raised and ready to end the old man's life. Herbert merely shifted in his seat, and that was enough to make the bloodthirsty ghoul pause, looking at the wizened human with confusion. "What's the matter, smoothskin?" He shot out hotly, no doubt still riding on the adrenaline high of massacre, "gonna take your death lying down?"

 

A small smile formed on Dashwood's lips as he looked up at Roy, noting that his red patchy skin was notably different from the ghoul he had been remembering, but there was not a hint of fear or disgust in him, something noticed by the ex-cop. "Well, I'm not exactly lying down, now am I?" He commented, gesturing to his chair.

 

> _ He had expected it to happen with him on his back, when he had retired for the night, but Argyle seemed to have used up his patience in the bar. His back met the wall harshly and there was a vice-like grip on his hips. Had he been paying attention to them, he would've noticed the pain, but his mind was occupied with the rough sensation of his manservant's lips, so strange against his own. And yet, his tongue laced with Argyle's, his eyes shut and hands running along sunbaked leather that covered the ghoul's back. They had only been at this for a few days now, and yet he had already grown accustomed to the difference in temperature between their bodies, his back arching slightly to press against the radiation-battered form of his best friend. His pants were too tight, constricting in a way that usually only alluring women brought with them. _
> 
>  
> 
> _ The kiss was broken as Herbert looked into those milky eyes, mischief and desire dancing in the off-blue orbs. He couldn't help the odd laugh that came, the situation catching up to him and he realized that he was getting aroused by a ghoul. _
> 
>  

"You think that's funny? Think that I'm not going to kill you?" Roy asked, leveling his rifle at the human's forehead and an angry scowl on his face. The old adventurer merely smiled.

 

"You've already killed a great deal of the smoothskins in this tower over a simple comment." He commented idly, as he picked up his whiskey again. "I'd be a fool if I thought that even Herbert Dashwood would escape unscathed from this rage."

 

The name clicked in Roy's mind, and he looked at the calm human with surprise. "Herbert Dashwood," he repeated with a bit of disbelief in his voice. "The same Dashwood that's on Galaxy News? With his ghoul manservant?"

 

"The very same." He confirmed before pausing. "Though Argyle was more than just a manservant to me."

 

"Really? And what was he?"

 

> _ "You know boss," the gutteral growl that came from Argyle stopped his laughter, though clearly he could still see amusement on his face. "I'm pretty sure that everyone takes offence to getting laughed at after kissing, ghoul or otherwise." _
> 
>  
> 
> _ "Sorry," he replied, chuckling still as he found a groove in the shoulder of the ghoul's leather vest. "But I'm Herbert Daring Dashwood, remember? Lover of ladies... I just never thought I'd be... well, you know..." _
> 
>  
> 
> _ "Macking on a ghoul?" the martial artist finished, though the smirk showed more amusement than offense. "Yeah yeah, I know all about your escapades. Have to drag you away from 'em more often than not." _
> 
>  
> 
> _ "Well, no." He'd hastily corrected. "I mean, I've certainly seen the beauty in some of those ghoulettes back in Underworld." A look flashed in Argyle's eyes, something that sent a pulse straight to Herbert's groin and a shiver down his spine, something that he had only seen from the too clingy dames or their boyfriends. Possessiveness. "No, my friend I mean... I never thought you would... or I would..." _
> 
>  
> 
> _ A hoarse laugh cut through his stammering, and his attention away from his ramblings. "Never thought I'd live to see the day that you lose your silver tongue, boss." Argyle grinned, and he was aware that his face was burning. _
> 
>  
> 
> _ "Oh, dammit, Argyle.... What are you trying to be right now?" He found himself shooting back. _
> 
>  
> 
> _ "Yours." And those strange yet delicious lips tasted him again. _
> 
>  

Herbert saw no reason to lie to the ghoul about to end his life, and a smile found its way to his lips. "My best friend, partner... lover." He saw Roy's eyes widen and his jaw slacken at those words. "Among other things."

 

"You're shitting me." There was clear disbelief, and perhaps it was because of this strange revelation that the Butcher of the Tower continued on. "There isn't a damn way that a smoothskin would fuck a ghoul."

 

"I take offence to that." He commented idly. "He was more than just a warm body to me." He remembered how warm Argyle was, and some of that heat sparked back in his chest.

 

> _ He felt as though he was burning. One of Argyle's hands had slipped past his pants, clever fingers, hot with lingering radiation, dipping between his cheeks. His face grew hotter, and he was suddenly aware of the bruising grip that his manservant had on his hip. Suddenly aware of the situation he was in; flirting with his best friend, kissing his manservant. He found himself shoving at Argyle's shoulder, pushing him away. The heat had been replaced by a chill that he nearly shivered to. "What the hell, Argyle!" He nearly shouted, but the ghoul merely caught his gaze. _
> 
>  
> 
> _ "Come on, boss." He spoke lowly, making his growl all the more clear. This time he did shiver out of a combination of fear and... something he didn't want to focus on. "I've seen you chase after every single skirt that we've come across. Every dame has to beat you back with a stick to get you off them." Those warm hands returned, but this time, the grip wasn't punishing. They simply rested on his hips. "Yet you never call 'em back, even if they fall for you. You ain't never fallen for a dame, hell, not even Rosie." _
> 
>  
> 
> _ "Rosie doesn't count in that, right?" He found himself asking as his hands rested on Argyle's rough forearms, but he was unsure if he meant to push them away. "I mean, it's because of her I met you." _
> 
>  
> 
> _ "And you spent more time staring at me than you did Rosie. Hell, you stare at me more than any other girl I see around you." A crooked grin formed on those crooked lips that he couldn't stop looking at. "Like that, boss." The huskiness of Argyle's voice made him look up and he could see more than lust in the old ghoul's eyes. He shivered again. "You got more of a spring in your step whenever you're off with me than any dame. I can always drag you away from some broad better than any of them can, and don't think I don't notice the way you look at me when I'm picking a pocket or breaking a rib." He paused, and those heated hands removed themselves from his hips. His own grip curled tighter. "You telling me there's nothing in them?" _
> 
> _ This time, it was Herbert who had done the silencing. He was well aware of his manservant's hands roaming his back, dipping lower once more to elicit a groan from the human. _

"He always had my back. And he knew me better than I did." He finished, as he fiddled idly with the bottle he had in his hand.

 

"Huh." Roy snorted with very clear disbelief, his gun returning to its place on his back. "Didn't think that the guy who fell for a slaver girl just for her looks swung that way."

 

"I don't." Herbert replied softly as he raised the bottle to his lips again. "It was just Argyle." He tipped the contents down his throat, focusing on the burn of alcohol.

 

> _ The heat of the ghoul's hot fingers was welcome this time as they wrapped around his organ, which only hardened in the strong hand. He groaned as his hips bucked, seeking that warmth, the stimulation, and he winced at the dryness of Argyle's coarse hand. For his part, the martial artist merely laughed as he took out something from his pocket. The warmth disappeared, and Herbert heard the whine in his own voice. "Calm down, boss." Argyle laughed as he poured the clear contents over his hand, "I'm not going to leave you alone with that." Those rough lips moved to his neck, and he found himself shivering as what remained of Argyle's teeth nipped at his collarbone. "Turn around and drop your pants, Dashwood." He commanded lowly. Herbert's stomach dropped at the sound of his own name in the ghoul's voice. He had rarely heard it. _
> 
>  
> 
> _ Herbert turned around, forgetting that they were in a deserted hallway just above the bar room and that someone could just wander up and see them. He unbuckled his belt hastily and let the fabric fall from his hips. He practically tore his boxers off just so that his manservant could wrap his hand around his cock again, and he was thankfully obliged. Something slick coated that rough hand he was quickly growing to enjoy, and the strong grip combined with the patchiness of skin stimulated him to forget that they were in a populated building. He could hear himself groaning as Argyle's teeth found his neck again, the raspiness of his voice only encouraging him to buck his hips almost wildly. He could hardly even focus on what what he was saying, only hearing through the heat and the pleasure murmurs of "boss" and "Dashing" and "Herbert." Everything was a blur of sensation, of Argyle's lips against his neck or mouth, Argyle's heated and hungry words. Argyle's hand pumping him roughly as he thrust into his closed fist, of the heat of Argyle's body that pressed against his. _
> 
>  
> 
> _ So aware of the heat was he that the sharp chill of something being poured on his ass practically made him jump. Argyle pressed a kiss against his neck again, murmuring something as he gripped Herbert's cock tighter. "Relax." He kept going, as his newly hand guided the drip towards his crack, those clever, hot fingers dipping in to prod the liquid against his puckered hole. Herbert tried to protest, but Argyle coaxed his finger in, curling and making his boss moan. His body warmed the liquid and only made him all the more aware of how hot Argyle was. _
> 
>  
> 
> _ That raspy voice was still murmuring in his ear, saying how hot he was, how much Argyle cared, no,  _ _ loved _ _ him. How much Herbert meant to him, how he always wanted to keep him safe, to keep him for himself. A second finger had joined the first at this point, and they were curling, pressing against something deep within that made Herbert cry out like one of those whores he fucked before. His own words were incoherent jumbles at this point, stuttered swears, moans of pleasure, and "Argyle, Argyle, oh fuck,  _ _ Argyle _ _." That slick fist was still wrapped around him, pumping harder now, and whatever had been used as lubricant was now joined by his precum, leaking out of his weeping cock, and sweat. His own hands were gripping blindly at the wall, trying to find something to ground him, but only serving to scratch at the surface.  _
> 
>  
> 
> _ A third finger entered his ass, and Argyle started to thrust them in roughly in time with his strokes. His world starting to lose detail and all he could focus on was Argyle stimulating him. The murmurs started to turn filthy in his ear, saying how he had always wanted to show those dames how to really please him, how good Herbert looked like this, pressed against a wall and ass open to a ghoul. How he had been torn on many occasions between fucking Herbert and strangling him. _
> 
>  

Roy's hand had wrapped around his neck, stopping him from continuing in his drink and in his thoughts. The red ghoul scowled angrily to himself as he took the bottle of whiskey, nearly empty, from the old man. "Well... shit." He grumbled irritably as his mind worked through the information it had recieved. "I can't exactly kill off the only person in this tower who isn't a fucking ghoul hater. Especially if he's Herbert Daring fucking Dashwood." The old man, for his part, thought he heard a bit of reverence then, but didn't comment on it. Roy stepped back and the hand came off his neck. He coughed up whatever liquid hadn't slid down to his belly, but the murderer didn't notice as he finished off the contents of the bottle. "I could be convinced to keep you alive. Lot of ghouls respect you... including yours truly. I've always been a big fan of the Adventures of Herbert Daring Dashwood." He finally said when the bottle was drained. He glanced over to the old man, who merely watched him quietly.

 

"Wouldn't be murder, though." Herbert commented, as he picked up the cigarette that had been quietly burning itself out, ignoring the latter words that Roy had said. The red ghoul looked confused for a moment. "More like... assisted suicide."

 

"What?" Roy asked, staring at Herbert with confusion. The bottle fell from his hand and onto the carpet, cracking slightly.

 

"Argyle's dead." He continued, more to himself than to the man who caused all this slaughter. "I'd held on this long hoping that I'd see him again, hoping the old boy was still alive but..." He glanced towards his empty safe for a moment, recalling how the news of Argyle's death had been delivered to him by some youngster.

 

> _ His world turned white, and he cried out as best as he could, pleasure strangling the name on his lips. He was aware of Argyle milking him, letting his seed squirt onto the wall as those rough lips pressed against his neck again, his fingers trapped in his boss's clenched ass. "Herbert..." He heard Argyle's rough voice pitched lower than ever, recognized the breathlessness in it, and that that only made the orgasm so much more sweeter. His forehead met the wall, and it took him a few moments before he could even stand without relying on the wall for support or think coherently, let alone string together any words.  _
> 
>  
> 
> _ When his mind was clearer though, the proclaimed Lover of Ladies turned his head to look at the ghoul, who was finally removing his hands from his fellow adventurer, admiring his handiwork. His hole felt empty without three fingers in it, and he was sorely tempted to ask for a round two. Instead, he lowered his hands from the wall and turned around to grab Argyle's hips. "Y-Your turn, old friend." He tried to make his voice as husky and seductive as Argyle's had been, a cheeky smirk on his face. "I can't have all the fun now, can I?" _
> 
>  
> 
> _ At this, Argyle laughed softly, and stepped away. He thought he'd be tossed aside like those dames he never cared for and something nearly broke in Herbert. _
> 
>  

"I don't think I want to keep him waiting anymore." Herbert replied as he leaned back in his chair, looking up at Roy with a small smile. "He's been waiting since Rockopolis, and he's probably fed up by me not doing a thing. You don't shoot me now, boy, I'm taking my gun and doing it myself."

 

Roy looked at him as though he were mad. "A-Are you serious?" He stated, all the hate he had for humans having melted away for the moment. "You're Dashwood. Honorary Ghoul of Underworld. Your adventures and comradery with ghouls is legendary... You... " He dropped in volume, looking less like the psychotic killer that had ordered the slaughter of every human here and more like a gloomy child. "You're the reason I tried diplomacy with Tenpenny in the first place... The reason I thought there was hope in a peaceful resolution."

 

Herbert chuckled softly. "And look where we are now." He idly gestured to the distant screams and snarls of ferals as they tore at their prey. "It'd be a fitting end to a tale, wouldn't you say?" Roy looked at him with confusion, so he explained with a hint of bemusement in his words. "The man who believed in peace between humans and ghouls getting killed when his ideals proved to be false in the wastes."

 

The ex-cop looked pained then, flinching and well aware of the real cause, of what this would really mean. Of how he had been looking for an excuse to get rid of all the bigots of Tenpenny Tower. It would not be Herbert who failed.

 

"I want to go to Argyle." Herbert added firmly as though unaware of his soon-to-be killer's thoughts, a smile on his face. "All I'm asking for is your help."

 

"Why?" Roy tried, perhaps stalling for time. "You're old already, you're going to die in a few years anyways. Why not just... enjoy yourself until then?"

 

"I can't." He replied sadly. "Not without Argyle."

 

> _ The manservant caught the look in Herbert's eyes and he laughed. "Don't look at me like that, boss." He grinned a little, as he wiped his hands on his pants. "I just can't get off. Nothing to do with you. My dick fell off years ago... probably why Rosie went after you in the first place, now that I think about it." He laughed even more at the horrified look on Daring Dashwood's face. "I violated you enough for one night, and we got that Paradise Falls job tomorrow. Better rest up for the trek." _
> 
>  
> 
> _ "Excuse me!" Herbert quipped up, a stern frown on his lips as he looked at Argyle. "I have not been violated. In fact, I do the violating around here!" Argyle started cackling at his boss' false bravado. He nearly blushed at how ridiculous he sounded... and perhaps looked, with his limp cock hanging out for all to see and his pants still around his ankles. He scowled to cover up his growing embarrassment. "Honestly, a man tries to return a favour once in his life and gets laughed at. You offend me, old chum." _
> 
>  
> 
> _ "Once in your life, huh boss?" Argyle repeated, and this time Herbert did blush, crouching down to pull his pants back up. "Good to know you hold me in such high regard." When Herbert stood straight, the ghoul stepped back into his view and pressed another kiss to his lips, one that he returned eagerly. He idly thought that he could get used to this.  _
> 
>  
> 
> _ "I swear, Argyle. I'll find some way to pay you back one of these days. For everything." He gave the ghoul one of his most charming smiles. Argyle returned it with one of his crooked ones.  _
> 
>  
> 
> _ "Boss, long as I'm with you, I got everything I need. Besides..." He gave a pointed look to the white drops left on the wall. "I can't see myself getting tired of the look on your face when you do that."  _
> 
>  
> 
> _ "Well old boy" He returned just a bit too hastily. "I can't see myself getting tired of what you can do with those clever hands of yours." He noticed an odd look on the martial artist's face that might have been a blush of its own, which he gladly took as such and let bolster his confidence. "So... As crazy as it sounds from the most Daring of Dashwoods, I think I'll stick with this one person... if he'll have me." _
> 
>  
> 
> _ "And that thing we just did wasn't having you?" The ghoul quipped, to which Herbert chuckled. "Like I said boss. I'm sticking with you. No way you can do anything without me anyways." _
> 
>  
> 
> _ "Nor would I want to, my dear Argyle." He replied, his voice dipping far more into softness than he was used to. He quickly grabbed Argyle by the hips and stepped forward, stealing another kiss from the resourceful ghoul. By the end of the night, he had grown addicted to those rough, delicious lips.  _
> 
>  

Roy watched him carefully as he quietly took his laser pistol off of his hip, though he didn't raise his own gun. "If you won't help me, old boy, then just walk right out of here and leave an old man be." Herbert fiddled with the pistol making sure that it was in proper working order, pausing only when the song had ended on the radio, and a jazzy interlude started. 

 

" _ You're listening to the adventures of me me, Herbert Daring Dashwood, and my stalwart ghoul manservant, Argyle! _ " The radio crackled with his own youthful voice, and Herbert smiled as he reached out to shut it off.

 

"Today's episode," He announced softly with exhaustion and a hint of hope in his voice. "A new adventure... and the long awaited reunion."

 

The sound of a rifle reloading brought Herbert's head up, and he smiled at the sight of Roy pointing his rifle at the old man. His jaw was clenched tightly, and the old adventurer could tell that he was being cursed silently.

 

His next adventure began with a short burst of bullets.


End file.
